Contrapossto
by Triden
Summary: A series of cute, fluffy, and full of Lemon!Oneshots of the John/Matt slash persuasion. Slash!
1. To Be Continued

"Contrapossto" Italian for 'Unbalanced balance' . Live Free or Die Hard. Matt/John slash.

"_**To Be Continued..."**_

John Mclane didn't know how it happened. One minute he had been told that as a Senior Detective, _he_ had to be the one to go all the way to Camden to pick up an annoying- as- hell hacker. Then the next minute he was standing next to his ambulance, watching as fore- mentioned hacker got his knee bandaged up in the other ambulance. Suddenly, and John didn't know how it had happened in less than thirty hours, he had grown attached to the kid. He really didn't want to say goodbye, hell, he didn't really even want the kid separated from him for the short trip to the hospital.

It was truly too late for him to go through a mid- life crisis. Yeah, Holly had ruined him for life. He _had_ been married to the woman for twenty- odd years and had had two beautiful kids with her. She had spoiled women for him. So, he had never considered dating again, much less dating men. He had counted on coming home to an empty New York apartment after a long day at the station to eat take- out until he was set to retire and even then John wasn't sure he'd ever retire. It was lonely sure, but still easier then dating again.

Then Matt had come along. He was a skinny, pale, hyperactive hacker, who had unknowingly been apart of a huge virtual terrorist scare. But he was easy on the eyes, John gave him that. He was also too smart for his own good; like his brain controlled him, not the other way around. John had no doubt that Matt was right when he had said that he really had no idea what was actually rattling around in that head of his. The kid had a comment about EVERYTHING.

It had been annoying at first, but John had come to expect the odd fact or impassioned, long- winded rant. It was what made a conversation interesting and an argument actually worth it. John hadn't had that in a long time. John looked over at Lucy's scrutinizing gaze.

"What?" John gruffed. Lucy just gave him a small secretive smile.

"I was just thinking about Matt..."

John hated how much he mentally perked up his ears and waged his tail at just the mention of Matt's name... He _really_ did.

"... where he'd like to go for a first date---" John cut back in abruptly.

"Lucy, I don't want you dating Matt."

Her eyes were wide and her lips froze mid- word, then suddenly she burst out laughing. John had to clear his throat twice before she stopped. And she looked about ready to go off again, but calmed at his "get-to-the-point" glare.

"This is ridiculous, Dad. How can you both stand it? Wow, the ignorance..."

"...Luce..." John growled, very clearly tired of her game.

"You like him, Dad." John's eyes narrowed, but he didn't bother to respond. Lucy smirked.

"You like him, you like having someone to take care of and protect. And who better than a computer nerd who seems to attract trouble?" John lowered his eyes briefly.

"Lucy, I'm twice his age..." Lucy snorted.

"Dad, no offense, but you look better than a guy his age."

"I've got two kids and a wife---"

"---_Ex_- wife, Dad. And don't tell me that you're not over her."

"So, you just assumed that I'd turn to guys? Jesus, Luce."

"No, Dad. It just seems like since you need to be needed, --- and let's face it; I don't need you to protect me, Jack doesn't need to be protected, and Mom doesn't need to be protected--- Matt looks---"

"---What? Matt looks interested? The kid's doped up on Morphine, Lucy. He probably would have fallen in love with Gabriel if the kid had had the right amount of drugs at the time."

Suddenly, John saw his own "give-me-a-break-I-can-see-right-through-you" look that he'd used on perps before, aimed right back at him. John heaved a sigh. He didn't know if he should be proud or pissed because of the fact that Lucy was so clearly his daughter.

"So you say the kid might be interested, huh?" The smile she beamed him made him feel warm inside. Damn, he was going soft.

**LIVEFREEorDIEHARD**

A couple of days later, John was released from the hospital. He had to go back the next day to pick Matt up.

John had been preparing himself to argue until he was blue in the face or until Matt agreed to come back to his place while he healed up. John expected a passionate, intelligent, quick argument as to why Matt shouldn't, but that wasn't what the fucking hacker gave him.

The kid had just given John a dopey smile, twinkling eyes, and a low, "I'll pack my dolls."

Damn, if the kid wasn't intriguing him. He was something that John had always wanted... a challenge.

John spent the day cleaning his apartment and reluctantly preparing the guest bedroom, then he went to Matt's apartment and gathered anything that wasn't in pieces. John fit it all into a sole duffel bag. With nothing else to do, he checked the sizes on the few articles of clothing he did find and went to the nearest store to grab a few pairs of sweatpants and a couple of shirts.

**LIVEFREEorDIEHARD**

A day later, John had Matt settled in the guest room to sleep off the strong painkillers that the doctors had subscribed him. The kid had been weak, drugged, and tired and John reveled in the moments when the two of them stopped to let Matt rest on the way up from the car. The younger man had leaned against him trustingly and John had more than welcomed the warmth from the lanky form.

It wasn't until nearly two weeks later that Matt was able to do much of anything. He had learned to navigate crutches and had been a steady influence in the kitchen, cooking home meals that John couldn't wait to come home to.

John had given himself seven days of leave, after making sure that Matt would be alright by himself, before he pushed his way back into the station. The argument from the sheriff was cut short with one casual glance around at the chaos. But the sheriff put his foot down; his hours ended before six, end of story. Not that John minded, he was just as anxious to get back to Matt, as the sheriff was to get rid of him.

"Hey John." Was Matt's usual greeting tossed over one shoulder as he worked at the stove. Without thinking, John walked over and wound his arms Matt's waist and dropped his head to bury it in Matt's neck to inhale the hacker's comforting scent. The slim body stiffened, but John just tightened his hold and inhaled deeper. And just as suddenly as he had stiffened, Matt relaxed, the tension left his body as he dropped his shaggy head backwards onto John's shoulder.

The open trust and submission of the act, had John pulling the lanky body closer and sliding an arm possessively across the younger man's hips to pull those backwards also. Matt's low, needy gasp met John's groan as the hacker literally melted. When Matt exposed his beautiful throat to John's hot kisses, John released the hacker's hips; happy when Matt pushed back into him anyway; to reach up to tilt the hacker's face back toward his.

Matt's back arched when John covered the younger man's lips with his own. Slipping an eager tongue into the younger man's mouth, John let out a low growl and yanked the hacker's hips back further into his groin. When he felt John's interest, Matt broke the kiss with a gasp. John smiled when he felt the shudder run through the body in his arms before it relaxed; once again allowing Matt to drop his head to loll back on John's shoulder.

A gentle smile covered the hacker's lips and his eyes were dropped to half-mast, effectively sending a bolt of lust straight through John. Matt closed his eyes, gave a small moan, and whispered.

"I never thought that this could happen to me." John just nuzzled Matt's hair.

"You better get over it because I'm never letting you go." As John laid a gentle kiss to his younger lover's forehead, said younger lover just laced his fingers through John's where they were still stationed on his abdomen and chest.

At the mumbled, "Good," John could only close his eyes and gather the hacker even tighter against him and agree.

"Good."

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A/N: This is my first Live Free or Die Hard fiction, but I've worn out one copy of the DVD already and have read all the slash fanfiction I could get my search engine on (I can recommend a site that has every bit of Slash fanfiction for this pairing! It's awesome!). So anyway, read, review, and tell me what you think.


	2. A Set of Silver Cuff Links

"_**A Set of Silver...Cuff Links"**_

Matt woke to the sound of the shower running. His eyes cracked open as he let a small, content smile crawl across his lips. Reaching his arms above his head, Matt stretched and groaned when he envisioned the water running down the curves and dips of John's muscles. The hacker sat up, deciding to join his lover, but halted abruptly.

Very awake now, in more ways than one, Matt swallowed hard. There on the nightstand, glinting in the early morning sun, were John's handcuffs. The hacker couldn't stop the heat that pooled quickly in his groin and could only let out a strangled groan when his sweatpants tented. He vaguely heard the shower turned off and John step out whistling.

Minutes later, John emerged already dressed in his uniform slacks and undershirt with his button up still hanging open. Matt looked up slowly to where John had stopped.

"John..." Matt winced when his voice came out as a croak. His older lover was standing frozen in the doorway, his expression closed off. Matt shook his head, trying desperately to clear the lust from his expression.

"John, I'm..."

"I have to go to work." John let out in a rush. Matt just closed his eyes and hung his head. He tried to keep the tears from gathering as he heard John grab his clothes and shoes and he visibly winced when he heard the clink on clink of handcuffs as John picked them up. As Matt heard the door of the apartment close, he finally let the tears fall because he knew that he had messed it up.

The two of them had been together for the last two years, since the Firesale, and they were going strong; really strong. They went out on dates whenever John wasn't working or whenever Bowman didn't have Matt doing his dirty work. They had a passion in their conversation that could rival the passion in their bed. John was caring, sensitive, and knew that he could let himself go when he was around Matt. Matt loved that trust and what did he do? He fucking ruined it by a kink that he had no intention of ever exploring.

He knew that John got uncomfortable with anything to do with BDSM, not that Matt was into it either, but that also included bondage of any kind. Matt had found out one day when he had heard John's swearing from the other room. He had rushed in to find John on the only laptop that Matt had said he could touch with disgust and disbelief very clearly written on his face. His lover was studying a spam window that had popped up (probably from Freddy) advertising for a hardcore BDSM porn site. As Matt had approached and draped his arms over John's shoulders from behind the couch, he could hear John's mumbles.

"...fucking freaks. Who could enjoy that? What sick person would find pleasure in getting beaten or beating up someone else? Jesus..."

Matt understood, he really did. John saw the violence that people committed against each other every day. He'd seen parents hit their children, men abuse their wives, partners kill their "other half"; why would he want to come home to the same shit? So Matt had just shrugged, nodded, and swallowed his lust.

Oh, he didn't get turned on by the whole 'Yes, Master' or whips or paddles, and he didn't care for the BDSM scene at all. No, Matt was insanely turned on by the whole tie-me-up-tie-me-down and fuck-me-raw kind of thing. He had never tried it and before John he had never trusted someone enough to do that to him, but John had put a stop to those fantasies with one pop- up ad.

And now John knew. Now he knew that Matt was one of those sick people that got off on being restrained, and with something John used in his every day job no less. It was practically the same thing as asking John to fuck him with his nightstick, but only after spanking him with it while shouting about "naughty- dirty boys."

Matt didn't want to be spanked, he didn't want to be down- graded, not after he finally had John's respect as an adult. He just wanted his arms restrained, his worries taken away as the one person he trusted the most took care of him.

**JOHNMATTSLASHMATTJOHN**

John got into his car and slammed the door shut.

"Fuck!" It had been an awful day.

It had started out great after waking up next to Matt, the younger man's soft brown hair tickling his shin. John had slipped out of bed and into the shower whistling. Matt seemed to always have that effect on him. At first his co-workers had been scared. A happy McClane? What the hell? But they had all gotten over it pretty quick. So when John stormed into work and started ripping people's heads off, they all knew that something had happened with John's hacker.

What was worse, John had no idea why he was so pissed and it took a guy that John knew was into BDSM to make John see sense. Once a year, Detective Samuel Jensen and his wife headed to a resort where BDSM was orchestrated in a safe and orderly manner. And while John had gladly stayed out of Jensen's business, Jensen had become somewhat of a therapist for John. The man would whittle away at John's shell until he cracked and told Jensen what was bothering him. He'd only had to do that once since John had been with Matt--- their first anniversary.

It took Jensen until lunch to get John to cave, and once he heard the tale of John's morning, he burst out laughing. Getting turned on by handcuffs or a man in uniform wasn't BDSM. BDSM was about relinquishing control and causing or getting off on pain. Matt just wanted his man to take advantage of him. When John frowned, Jensen laid a hand on his shoulder, lowered his voice, and told him that if Matt wants John to restrain him it's because Matt trusted him, not just because it made him horny.

It took all of two seconds for John to feel like crap. Here was John, wallowing in his assumptions when Matt was at home, confused, turned on, and shamed, and all because John had stormed out on him without a word. Crap didn't even begin to describe how John was feeling. His lover; his beautiful, smart, passionate hacker; was sitting at home with shame tearing at his gut.

He was the same hacker that defended John against Holy, saved his life and Lucy's in the Firesale, and in the end brought John's kids closer to him again. He was the same hacker that made John feel needed and cared for; made John feel _alive_ after years of loneliness. And if Matt could put up with having John in danger everyday, John's awful cooking, and John's ignorance over anything electrical, then John could explore one of his hacker's fantasies.

He barely made it until clock-out. He was worried about his hacker, but most of all, John was extremely turned on. Since Jensen's parting words, John had been thinking about his lover laid out in their bed, looking incredibly debauched as he panted and gasped and arched into John. John kept imagining Matt raising his hips to grind himself against John's stomach, unable to get any leverage as John pounded into him. John's fingers would lace with the hacker's underneath him, even as the cuffs glinted silver around the younger man's pale wrists.

The drive home was understandably hell, but also thankfully quick.

When John unlocked the door and shouldered his way in, he noticed the lack of lights on in the apartment. And after hanging up his coat, toeing off his shoes, setting his keys and gun down quietly and passed the "guest room/office", John noticed that the soft hum of Matt's computers was mysteriously absent.

Their bedroom door was open a crack and John's heart almost broke when he peeked in. Matt was curled up on top of the covers, though his hands were fisted in the comforter underneath his head, and John could see dried tear tracks on the younger man's cheeks as he pushed the door open further. The light from the hallway filtered in and slid across the younger man's face. John breathed deeply when long lashes fluttered open. His lover's brow furrowed in disorientation before he recognized John's form. As John approached, Matt sat up, looking very intent on apologizing. Well, John wasn't going to let him.

"John..." But Matt didn't get a chance to finish before John was covering the hacker's lips with his own. The first kiss was sweet and soft and apologetic, so was the second and third before John pulled back slightly.

"Don't apologize." John fingered the hem of Matt's baggy and after a mental 'fuck it,' shucked the well- worn shirt over the hacker's head. Jolts of desire dropped through John's stomach when he saw the pale skin covering Matt's lean form. John looked into his lover's wide brown eyes as he pressed the younger man into the mattress. John hesitated for only a second, predatory eyes drinking in his hacker's thin form, before covering the pale, lean body with his own and let Matt feel his interest. He watched as Matt's eyes widened when he felt John's erection, but then turned those eyes turned liquid with desire when John's hard length pressed into his.

"Do you trust me, Matt?" Matt didn't hesitate before surging up to devour John's lips, but he pulled back after only a few seconds.

"Yes." The hacker barely had time to breathe out the word before John, not wasting any time, captured Matt's wrists and pinned them to the pillow on either side of Matt's head. John trailed hot, open- mouthed kisses along Matt's jaw and was rewarded for his efforts when Matt let out a moan and tipped his head back to bare his throat for John.

John lowered his hips down onto Matt's and jerked Matt's wrists into one hand, so that he could trail the other along Matt's ribs. At the same time as John reached for his back pocket he thrust his hips up, grinding his cock into Matt's. The younger man arched up, threw his head back, and let out a cry of pleasure. That's when John took that time to slip the cuffs through a gap in the headboard.

As the cool metal clicked shut around Matt's second wrist, the body under John stilled and those now almost- black eyes opened. As Matt's brow furrowed, John let a gentle smile show on his features.

"You said that you trusted me." Matt nodded but let out a near silent gasp when John shifted his hips again.

John was awestruck at the love, passion, and trust shining in the depth of Matt's eyes. How John was lucky enough to get a second chance and how John was lucky enough to find Matt, was anyone's best guess. But John wasn't one to question Fate's motives.

Not when he had a hot, needy young man arching under him, practically begging John to take him. And John definitely didn't question Fate when that hot, needy, willing young man loved and _trusted_ John enough to take care of him when he put himself into John's hands completely vulnerable and submissive.

So yeah, John still didn't like the whole BDSM punishment thing, but maybe some types of bondage were okay... as long as they were with Matt.

* * *

A/N: Thank you for all the great reviews! You have no idea how much they encourage me with my writing! So make my day, review please!


	3. Psyche!

"_**Psyche!"**_

Lucy was going to kill John, she really, really was. So what if a helicopter or fighter jet couldn't kill him, Lucy was still going to burn John McClane to the fucking ground with a glare. Just you wait!

She was going to go over and give him a piece of her mind! Why you ask?

John McClane didn't go out to dinner... ever. And there he was, sitting in Cabaret's in a nice shirt and slacks! John _never_ dressed up. He was always telling Lucy that if a woman didn't like him in his "_ratty_ clothes" (Lucy's words) then what were they gonna do when they saw him in nothing but those "_ratty _clothes" day after day? Lucy saw through that though. John had never liked anyone enough to change; hell, he never liked anyone enough to _try_.

But here he was; in a nice restaurant, wearing a nice shirt and slacks, sitting across from a beautiful woman, and smiling and flirting with said woman, who was leaning forward and showing off her ample cleavage. Lucy was appalled!

Just yesterday, during their weekly lunch, John told her (with one of those small, secretive, and just- ever- so- slightly smug smiles on his face) that he was in love with the skinny, hyperactive hacker that had been inhabiting his apartment for the last year and a half and his bed for the last year. He had told her that he was in love and _Happy_. He told her that he couldn't wait to come home to Matt after shift, that he couldn't get enough of the hacker, and that all of Matt's annoying mannerisms were... *gasp* endearing.

While Lucy was slightly put off that his wife and kids were never reason enough to come home earlier than late, she was also determined to see her dad happy, damn it! And if Matt did it for him, then Lucy would try her best to not let John screw it up! Lucy refused to think she had failed. No, she was going to march over there and maker her _father_ see sense.

Lucy steeled herself when she heard the woman let out a chiming laugh. But as she took a deep breath and rounded the corner, she barely had time to duck down behind a large potted plant. Matt came in laughing with a stunning brunette on his arm.

'What?!' Lucy's mind screamed at her. She knew that Matt loved her father-- if the soft, love filled looks and the way Matt just lite up every time John paid him some attention-- wasn't enough evidence there was the fact that Matt had blushingly confessed to Lucy that he was in love with her father, the month after the Firesale. He had been more embarrassed than she had been even though it was her that had come onto him rather strongy.

So, 'What the hell?!'

Oh, what the _hell_...

Lucy watched in astonishment as the brunette kissed Matt firmly on the mouth before she pulled back and sat down next to the blond that had been flirting with her father and then proceeded to pull said blond into a very heated kiss.

Matt's tender smile broke Lucy out of her rapt attention on the two necking women. She saw his amused and affectionate smile aimed at the two women as he sat down next to John, very closely next to John. Lucy saw Matt lean trustingly against the cop and look up at him with love very clear in his expression. She cheered inside as John wrapped an arm around Matt's shoulders and looked down into the younger man's face with a soft, loving smile that Lucy hadn't seen since she and Jack were kids. She saw her father's lips form the three words that made Matt grin as if he had just been given the world.

Lucy let out a whoop when she saw her father lean down and capture Matt's smiling lips in a tender, loving kiss. She didn't care that the tables and waitresses around her gave her dirty looks, but she _did_ care that it was now obvious to both of them that they loved each other. And Lucy did care that finally, _finally_ John got it right.

* * *

A/N: Review tell me what you think! They truly do make my day!


	4. Yippee Ky Yay

"_**Yippee-Ky-Yay"**_

John wasn't sure what had convinced Matt that it would be okay to take him to a club. But John was sure what Matt had said was an understatement at best. The hacker had told him that they were going to a bar that had a very accepting group of people. What he hadn't told him was that they were going to a dance club where all of its patrons were gay. John was all set to turn back around and march out,but Matt had dipped his head in disappointment and nodded shallowly in acceptance. John had just heaved a sigh and dragged the hacker up against him.

"You don't leave my side, got it. I don't wanna get hit on by a bunch of little fairies."

Matt had just given John one of his brilliant grins that only served to wrap John even further around the hacker's finger. Then they hit the dance floor and John was suddenly very glad he had allowed Matt to drag him there. John couldn't stop his smirk nor could he stop his hands and lips from devouring his younger lover. After one especially deep kiss, Matt pulled back abruptly and John could feel his arousal spike.

The hooded chocolate eyes looked up at John in a sultriness that caught his breath in his throat. John closed his eyes and breathed out heavily. He could feel Matt pressing up against him liked a cat begged relentlessly for attention.

"Jesus, kid." Was all John could get out. Matt leaned up, chuckling in John's ear.

"I'll go grab some drinks. Why don't you enjoy yourself for a few minutes." John growled and wrapped a broad hand around the base of the hacker's neck.

"You fucking tease." Matt only grinned and pressed a deep kiss to John's growling lips.

"I'll be right back." One last kiss and Matt's warmth left. John just opened his eyes and watched his lover's ass as the younger man weaved his way through the withering male bodies toward the bar. But John was startled away from his glorious view when he felt small hands land on his shoulders only to glide down his arms. Biting back a bitter cutting remark, John turned to face the owner of the very unwelcome touch.

The young man was slender, but not in the way Matt was. Where Matt was all long, pale limbs and sharp angles, this kid was almost _petite_. Dark skinned with baby fat still on his cheeks, the kid was only a couple of inches shorter than Matt. And while Matt didn't have bulky muscle, he was lean with a swimmer's build and long, elegant fingers that John could watch for hours, whether they be dancing across a keyboard or wrapped around John's dick. This kid looked like a spoiled little princess that had never done an ounce of work.

It was one of the things that John loved about Matt. He could defend himself, but chose to let John protect him because John wanted to, not because he wanted John to. This little boy looked like he was given everything he had ever wanted by one sugar- daddy or another.

John just raised an eyebrow and tried to mask his irritation.

"What do you want, kid?" The little shit had the audacity to trail a small hand down John's chest. John ground his teeth, but didn't move.

"No kid," John bit out, "Go find yourself another guy to play sugar- daddy."

Then the little fucker stuck out his lower lip and pressed himself closer.

"But I want you. I always get what I want." John snorted and pulled back, having quite enough of the little shit, when a warm hand on his lower back halted him. John knew that hand and the long, slender fingers busy caressing the skin under the waistband of his jeans. John turned his head to see his lover glaring at the little twat in front of them.

"Hey handsome. For you." John smiled at the cheesy term and accepted the beer held out for him. He was just turning to wrap an arm around Matt's waist when the little persistent punk John had almost forgotten about, tried to yank John away with a whine.

"Dance with me." Matt frowned and shoved himself in between John and the kid.

"Get the hint." The kid gave a high pitched, mocking laugh and tried to tug John around.

"What don't you get? What's your problem?!" Then the kid got in Matt's face.

"You are! He obviously doesn't appreciate a little slut like you hanging around---"

When Matt raised an eyebrow, John called out his lover's name... It didn't work. Matt's right hook settled matters. And as the hacker glared down at the kid at his feet he growled out something that made John's blood rush south.

"Yippee-ky-yay, motherfucker."

It took seconds to pull the younger man flush up against him and devour the lush mouth.

"Let's get out of here." A quick nod on Matt's part was all the agreement John needed.

'Yeah... Yippee-ky-yay!'

* * *

Hope you enjoyed! While I do LOVE a possessive John, Matt's gotta be a little possessive too and I think it'd be a huge turn on for him too! So read, review, tell me you think!


	5. From Hell to Heaven

"_**From Hell to Heaven"**_

John made contact with the cement hard. As, he lay there gasping and in pain; he tried to focus on what Gabriel was saying, he tried to focus on his daughter's sobs, and he tried to listen for coming sirens, but the only thing he could hear was Matt's ragged breaths.

"Mathew!" John flinched at the warning gun shot.

"Okay, okay, okay; I'm doing it, I'm doing it!" John growled and pulled himself forward.

"No, Mathew. Come here." John grunted and drug himself into a view unobstructed by the car. He saw Lucy struggling in the grip of Gabriel's henchman and he saw Matt's pain- filled, panicked eyes darting between he and Gabriel.

"Come...here... Mathew." John heard Gabriel's cold tone and looked up to see Gabriel's gun five feet from his head.

"Alright, alright, alright, alright; I'm coming. Don't shoot."

"Then get over here, Mathew." John winced as Matt half fell, half limped over to Gabriel. John struggled up as Matt stopped two feet from the madman.

The hand that wasn't holding the gun that threatened to finally finish John off, reached out and caressed Matt's hair almost gently. But before John could think, 'What the FUCK?!' the hand tightened into a fist and yanked Matt forward. With a yelp, Matt staggered forward and fell heavily into Gabriel. John lurched forward onto his knees but the click of the safety of a gun halted him.

Gabriel looked down at the hacker in his arms in an almost predatory way, even while his hand carded through Matt's sweat matted locks gently once again. Matt gasped heavily into Gabriel's neck, his eyes closed from the tears flooding them. The gun was pointed into Matt's side with the safety off and that alone was what kept John from leaping up and ripping Matt from Gabriel's arms.

"Sssh, everything is going to be alright, Matty. I won't hurt you... much."

The gunshot was too loud, Matt's screams were too loud, and Gabriel's coos of comfort were too fucking loud.

Gabriel had now pulled _John's _hacker up against him. His arms were wrapped tightly around the hacker's waist and neck; effectively keeping the hacker upright. Matt's muffled sobs and pain- filled screams were buried heavily into Gabriel's neck. Gabriel turned and looked down at John.

"You know, John... he could be saved. _You_ could save him." John couldn't say anything. His voice just wouldn't work. He raved and screamed, swore and yelled; but not one sound came from his throat. Gabriel fisted Matt's hair again and pulled the hacker's tear- streaked face from his neck.

"Sssh, Matty; it'll be alright. John will save you. John can save you." Then Gabriel pulled back, jammed the gun into Matt's abdomen, and pulled the trigger.

Gabriel seemed to disappear into mist as Matt fell. He had to get there... John had to get there, he had to save him. But John felt steel clamp around his wrists as struggled and fought to get to the hacker. He didn't feel the blood running down his wrists, but he saw the dark red liquid pooling around Matt's still form.

The dark chocolate eyes clouded over with pain, fatigue, and blood loss even as John fought harder to get to him... even as John's screams did nothing to drown out Matt's rasps of breath.

"_John..."_

John's tear- flooded eyes followed the line of red that leaked from the hacker's lax lips and then John saw the spark; the intelligent, cunning spark; leave the clouded eyes.

"_... John..."_

A white sheet dropped over Matt's limp body as the words, "He's gone," froze the blood in John's veins.

"_...John!"_

John surged up, gasping for air. He looked to the side and his breath hitched violently. It took only a split second for John to grab his hacker, pull him closer, and breathe out, "...Matt."

John trembled when he felt Matt's warm arms wrap around him. John dove in for a desperate kiss, devouring Matt's lips and making sure that what he had in his arms was the real deal. Matt pulled out of the kiss, gasping in healthy amounts of air.

"John, I'm alright...," John shuddered and buried his face in the juncture of Matt's shoulder and neck.

"Sssh John, I'm right here. I'll always be right here." John's breath hitched with a sob as he folded Matt into his arms and crushed the hacker against him.

John knew that Matt was curious about what his nightmare had been, but the younger man never asked. He just let John hold him and kiss him while he made sure that he was alive and his. And that courtesy went both ways. When Matt woke up screaming, John would just whisper endearments and let the younger man cling to him.

Because they were alive and no dream or nightmare would change that. They had survived and had found each other and that was all that mattered.

* * *

Finally! I updated! Woot! Let me know what you think!


	6. Hallmark Moments

"_**Hallmark Moments"**_

Lucy knew alot of things, but one of the things she knew with the most certainty was that John and Matt were practically made for each other. It was their fluidity, their companionship, their "hallmark moments" that Lucy wanted to find with her future husband, whoever he may be.

The proof that they were perfect for each other came when she had invited herself over for Christmas Eve and Day. They had both been glad to have her and Lucy was glad that she hadn't made them awkward while she intruded on the biggest, most romantic holiday of the year. Well, in the end, Lucy couldn't find it in herself to care as she came to witness two of the sweetest moments between two people that she had ever seen-- even on her Soaps.

The first came during the day of Christmas Eve. Lucy and her father had laid claim to the couch, but only after Matt had kicked them both out of the kitchen with the threat of no food if the two McClane's didn't stop bothering him. They had walked out with identical smirks and had only just settled down to watch "The Miracle on 34th Street" when a shouted curse came from the kitchen. Lucy had straightened in concern and made to get up when John put a hand on her arm with a smirk and an amused shake of his bald head.

Confused and slightly worried when the cursing continued, Lucy reluctantly reclined back in her seat. When she hadn't heard another sound after ten minutes, Lucy finally relaxed enough to enjoy the Christmas classic that she had practically begged John to watch.

It was nearly a half an hour later when they heard a loud crash, several small clatters, and more cursing. This time when John shook his head it was with fondness. When he stood and made his way to the kitchen, Lucy followed hot on his tail. The door wasn't even all the way open before John's deep chuckle started.

The entire kitchen--- Lucy still wasn't sure how Matt had gotten it all over the ceiling--- was covered in flour, cookie dough, sugar, and chocolate chips. The hacker slowly turned their way with his hands on his hips and a pout forming dangerously fast. Lucy smiled as John snorted and moved forward to console his younger lover.

She saw large hands circle Matt's waist to run calming circles on the hacker's hip bones and Lucy counted herself lucky enough to witness the exact moment when Matt submitted to John's soothing touch. She felt a loopy smile cross her lips when John leaned in and spoke in a a teasing voice, just riddled in affection.

"Just leave the cooking to Martha Stuart, baby." Then John proceeded to cover the pout with his lips until Matt let his hands drop off of his hips and onto John's with a moan.

Lucy turned warm and gooey inside; the way she did at a particularly part of a chick flick; when John pulled back, smiled an honest- to- god smile, and brushed the pad of his thumb across Matt's flour- covered cheek bone in such an achingly tender way that Lucy had no doubt that they had completely forgotten that she was there.

The second time, Lucy would make sure that she wouldn't intrude on one of John and Matt's "hallmark moments" without a quiet way to leave them in peace.

The next morning, Lucy woke at four. It was a habit she had had since she was five. In the early years, she had hoped to catch Santa, but later, after she had found her dad enjoying Santa's snack, she found that she couldn't sleep because of the excitement. Well this year when Lucy made her way to the living room, she never really reached the twinkling lights of her destination. She was blocked, but she didn't mind. Lucy melted backward from the soft glow of the Christmas tree as she quietly observed her father and his lover.

They were both facing the Evergreen that Matt had to blackmail John with no sex for a week to get. John had his arms circling around Matt's chest, while Matt leaned trustingly back against the bigger man. Lucy could see Matt's happy, content smile as John laid sweet kisses along his his jaw and in his hair. She could hear low rumbles coming from John that only served to make Matt's smile warm even further.

When Matt dropped his head back onto John's shoulder and tilted his face toward the older man--- as they looked into each other's eyes with so much love--- after Matt's soft murmur of, "I love you John, so, so much," Lucy felt her eyes sting and well up with tears. A soft smile crossed her lips when John tilted his head and laid a slow, sweet kiss on his hacker's lips.

As Lucy turned and made her way back to bed, she wished that one day she would find that kind of love with a man--- that she would find her soulmate. She wished that she could find what John and Matt were able to find. However, Lucy also wished that she wouldn't find him whilst under a hail of bullets or on the run from a terrorist or fighter jet.

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Hi! Thanks for all the reviews and encouragement! I have one more drabble written and then that's it until my plot bunnies come back! I'll update hopefully by the end of the week and it's one of my favorites! So I hope you enjoy! Read and review!


	7. Anything and Everything

"_**Anything and Everything"**_

Lucy was sitting down for dinner with her family; her mother, brother, and surprisingly father; at, even more surprisingly, her father's apartment. Matt was absent, but her dad had already reassured her that he was meeting up with the hacker after they were done. It was Matt's birthday after all. They all had had a good dinner if you ignored the fact that Holly and Jack tensed and glared whenever Matt was mentioned or referred to.

They were just sitting down for dessert when John's cell hone rang and judging from the smile on the detective's face when he checked the small screen, it was Matt. Lucy hid her grin behind her spoon of chocolate mousse. John rose as he flipped his phone open and started out with an affectionate, "Hey Matty..." But the small smile, the closest thing Lucy's father ever came to a grin, disappeared.

Lucy frowned when her father's relaxed form turned rigid and the warmth seeped from his eyes. Lucy stood abruptly when she heard the low, dangerous growl erupt from the cop's throat.

"He had better be unharmed, Gabriel, or so help me..."

Lucy's eyes widened when she realized just who was calling from Matt's phone. She spun around, ignoring her mother's eye roll, and flipped the TV to the local news.

"...It has just been discovered that Thomas Gabriel, the mastermind behind the terrorist attack last July, has escaped from prison..." Lucy heard her dad's land line ring and didn't hesitate before picking it up.

"McClane? This is Bowman..." Lucy let out a growl of her own.

"Bowman! How could you let this happen? Why didn't you call us earlier?!" There was a pregnant pause on the other end of the line.

"Ms. Genaro?"

"It's McClane."

"Right... Is John there?" Lucy growled again.

"Not for long, Bowman. Where's Gabriel now? He has Matt." Another pause came from Bowman's end.

"...We have men on the way---" Lucy was about to make a rather colorful threat when Bowman seemed to think better of it. "---He's at a coffee shop on Broadway and 5th... Just tell McClane to get here and get a vest first at least." Lucy grunted her confirmation and Bowman ended the call.

"Dad!" John would have been pulling out his hair if he had had any.

"John!" The cop spun toward her. "That was Bowman. They're at the coffee shop on Broadway and 5th." John nodded and practically raced toward the bedroom that he both shared with his hacker and kept the safe that held his gun and badge. He came out and immediately started for the door, still buckling his gun holster, when Holly stepped in front of him, eyes practically spitting fire.

"Where the hell are you going, John?! The Feds are handling it, you don't need to get involved. It's just another person, John! Stay with your fucking family for once!"

"--Mom!" Lucy tried to interrupt but her father's low, calm, angry voice halted her defense of him.

"He is my family. He was there for the Firesale, he was there for my recovery, and he's been there since. Where were you, Holly? It's been a year and a half since the Firesale and only just now are you coming to make amends. He's been there through the worst. And now I'm gonna be there for him."

"John, if you walk out of that door..." John turned, about to answer his ex- wife's empty threat, but Lucy cut in.

"Dad! Just go, bring Matt home. I'll hold down the fort here." John's anger melted. He laid a quick kiss on Lucy's forehead, and was out the door before anyone could open their mouth to yell.

"That selfish, son-of-a---" Holly began and Lucy could see the rant coming a mile away.

"Mom--!"

"Lucy, don't defend your father! What he just did was unforgivable!"

"Why?! What was it that he did wrong? Was it that he went to go help his lover, the man who makes him happy?"

"That little delinquent..."

"He helped Dad save the country, Mom. And he saved my life!"

"That doesn't change the fact that---"

"Why? What is it that's pissing you off, Mom? Is it that Matt's a guy?" At Holly's incredulous look, Lucy suddenly understood. "Or is it that Dad's rushing off to save Matt and he's not rushing off to save you?"

Holly looked completely scandalized, but Lucy saw right through it.

"Well Mom, you had your chance! Every time Dad saved the country or your life, you gave him the hope of getting back together with you. You took him and then you dropped him when you got bored!"

"Lucy Genaro!"

"No Mom! Dad's happy, he's finally happy! Matt makes him happy! Matt doesn't try to change him, he loves Dad just the way he is and Dad loves taking care of 'that little delinquent' as you put it. Just leave them alone because they just don't need your jealousy and hate!" Lucy finished, nostrils flaring wide. Holly looked shocked and stunned.

"I, uh... excuse me." Lucy calmed down as her mom all but bolted to the bathroom. When she heard the door click shut, Lucy turned and almost ran into her brother.

"Wow, Luce." Lucy shrugged and jumped from the offensive to the defensive.

"I just wanted to open her eyes a little." Jack chuckled.

"You didn't just open her eyes, you ripped off her eyelids." Lucy just grinned at her brother.

**LIVEFREE or DIEHARD**

By the time Holly came out of the bathroom twenty minutes later, she saw her children sitting on the sofa watching CNN. They had live broadcast coverage as they kept tabs on the deemed 'hostage situation.'

Silently, Holly sat between her two children on the middle cushion and gave Lucy a somewhat watery smile when her daughter threw an arm around her waist. Slightly overwhelmed by her daughter's immediate forgiveness, Holly glanced at her son. Jack just raised an eyebrow at her, referring to her earlier outburst. Before tonight, she had always kept her disapproval quiet and Holly had a feeling that it was one of the only reasons why Jack had stuck by her. So when he turned back to the TV, Holly followed his gaze.

An hour and a torrent of emotions later, Holly was relieved when both John and Matt walked out of the coffee house. Though she could see John limping, Holly was glad to see that he was smiling at the hacker, who had flung one of John's arms across his shoulders to try and support the detective's weight. The younger man looked relatively unscathed, except for a dried stream of blood on the left side of his temple.

Holly scrutinized her ex-husband's lover as he helped John to the nearest ambulance. A paramedic started patching John up right away as the cop gave his younger lover a gentle smile and tugged him closer.

The camera was shifted as it recorded Thomas Gabriel being led out in cuffs toward the second ambulance. The con's entire right side looked rubbed raw and scorched and Holly was almost glad she didn't know exactly what had gone down in the coffee house.

A loud cheer went up suddenly and the camera swung dizzyingly back to the ambulance John was situated in. Holly gasped at the sight that the news camera provided. Her ex-husband was leaning his forehead against Matt's and Holly could see his lips moving, but the camera's microphones didn't pick up what was being said. The hacker's eyes were closed confidently as he melted into John.

A slow smile spread across the hacker's lips as John wrapped his hands around the back of the younger man's neck to tilt his head up for the right angle. Holly couldn't stop the tender smile from crossing her lips as John leaned down and covered Matt's lips with his own.

This was the most awe-inspiring chick flick she had ever seen. The two of them truly looked in love and Holly had never seen John this content and happy. She guessed it was because she had a more independent, almost tougher personality. She had made it hard for John to shield and care for her the way is character said he should.

John and his hacker were good for each other. This Matt looked like he needed someone to love and look after him and Holly knew that John needed an escape from his loneliness and bad cooking.

"Hey, Luce? Do you have Matt's cell phone number?" Her daughter studied her expression before suddenly grinning.

**livefree OR diehard**

Matt pulled back, very dazed from John's kiss, when a cop tapped him on the shoulder.

"Mr. Farrell?" Matt turned and nodded. The cop held out a small silver cell phone.

"This was found ringing. I believe its yours?" Matt nodded again and took the open phone from the cop.

"Ah... hello?" Matt cleared his throat, his eyes widened tot he point of popping, before he swallowed roughly. When his jaw dropped, John tugged him closer in concern.

"Matty..." But Matt didn't respond to his lover, he just pulled the phone away from his ear and stared in a bewildered awe at the tiny screen where a "Call- Ended" flashed.

"Matty, who was that? Mathew..."

"It, uh... It was your ex- wife." John growled, ready to go, yet again, defend himself and his lover rather loudly against Holly.

"No... John... She, uh... She wants to see us both at Christmas at her place. She said that she's cooking, no excuses."

John raised his eyebrows with a stunned, "Really?!"

Matt swallowed and nodded before he looked up into John's eyes.

"Did I just get her blessing?" John snorted.

"Yeah, kid, you did. And it's about time she realized that you're my everything." The grin that John got lit his entire world. Yeah, John would do anything for this kid and it's about time everyone realized it.

**The End: For now...**

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I just wanted to thank everyone for the awesome reviews that have suported this "series". They never failed to make my day! Sad to say, but this fic is at an end until the plot bunnies return; which to tell the truth,won't be that long from now. So please check back in occassionally for updates and as always:

Read, review, and tell me what you think.


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